Organic, local farmers market carrots: A dose of Vitamin A and judginess? (Photo Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com)

Ever feel judged when you bring some non-organic, foreign-grown, out-of-season melon to a potluck, or forget your reusable bag?

Msnbc has this funny anecdote from a woman trying to buy a fruit platter from a snobby organic produce guy in Seattle:

And he was like, ‘If you want fruit platters, go to Safeway. We’re organic.’ I finally bought a small cake and some strawberries and then at the check stand, the guy was like ‘You didn’t bring your own bag? I need to charge you if you didn’t bring your own bag.’ It was like a ‘Portlandia’ skit. They were so snotty and arrogant.

Her story underscored a new study that found that exposure to organic foods correlated with higher levels of self-righteousness. Researchers at Loyola University in New Orleans divided people into groups. They showed some people organic foods and other people non-organic and comfort foods.

Test subjects were later surveyed on moral situations and how much time they would volunteer to help a needy stranger.

The organic group was more judgmental and less likely to help out, researchers found. The study was published this week in the journal Social Psychological & Personality Science.

More details from Msnbc here.

Visit seattlepi.com’s home page for more Seattle news. Vanessa Ho can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 206-448-8003 and on Twitter as @vanessaho.